Field
Cationic steroidal antimicrobials (“CSAs”) and formulations thereof for treating certain diseases and symptoms, such as fungal infections.
Description of the Related Art
The incidence of fungal infections has markedly increased over the last few decades. Many of these fungi have developed resistance to front line antifungal agents such as the azoles and the polyenes, preventing adequate treatment and/or prevention of disease. The increase in fungal infections and resistance to traditional therapies is a significant public health threat worldwide. These infections are becoming more common, in part due to an increase in those susceptible to such infections. This subpopulation includes the immunocompromised: individuals undergoing chemotherapy, those receiving immunosuppressive drugs following transplantations, and those immunosuppressed due to diseases, such as AIDS or malignancies.
Accordingly, both the limited spectrum of antifungal drugs currently in clinical use and the emergence of resistant fungi make necessary the development of new effective antifungal drugs with minimal side effects.